MicroHorror

Jeff and I were watching TV one lazy Saturday afternoon when suddenly a giant insect crawled into the room. It shined a silver color, had eyes of the purest black and resembled a five-foot-long grasshopper/lobster hybrid. It was moving very slowly. I estimated that with it being about ten feet away, it might take the vermin over an hour to reach us.

“Oi. Do you see that, man?” Jeff said, apparently just taking notice of the creature. “What do you reckon should be done about that?” He hardly seemed worried, but it was still a question that had to be asked.

Some time passed and the program we were watching came to a close. I looked over to check on our new house guest. I saw that it had halved the gap between us.

Jeff nudged me. “I’m going to the kitchen, you want anything?” I glanced back at the creature. The route to the kitchen would take him right by that thing.

“No. I’m all right. Thanks though.” Jeff got up and walked in the vermin’s direction. It slowly turned its head to peer at him with those dark eyes, but could not change its direction fast enough and soon enough Jeff was past him. I sighed in relief.

“Hey, Jeff.” He stopped, not more then three feet from that monstrous insect. “Doesn’t this seem a bit familiar?” I asked him.

“Familiar? How so?”

“I think I remember reading about something like this in a book once.”

“Something like what?”

I stared at him dumbfounded, and indicated the creature.

“Oh, right. Well what did they do about it in the story?”

“I think they killed it with an apple.”

“Like a food allergy?”

“No, not so much. I believe they hit it with an apple.”
“Right. Just a moment, then.”

Jeff returned with an apple in one hand and a beer in the other. We gathered next to our slow moving vermin, and I watched as Jeff tossed the apple at the creature’s face.

It became lodged within the creature’s black eye. A dark fluid resembling ink flooded from the wound. It dripped deep into my carpet. As I began to contemplate how I would get that stain out, the creature’s mouth shot open and out came the loudest, most high-pitched shriek I have ever heard.

Jeff and I were forced to put our hands over our ears. It only lasted a matter of seconds, but the effect upon us was strong. Our hands dropped to our sides. They were covered with blood that no longer felt welcome inside our heads. Jeff stumbled a little, and then fell altogether onto the floor. I soon followed.

After a few minutes we regained consciousness. After some struggle we were able to speak, but seemed to be paralyzed in every other capacity. We were helpless now. The creature inched closer. There was only about a foot between that horrible insect and Jeff’s feet now.

“What do we do now?” Jeff asked me. “What happened in the story?”

“I don’t know. I cannot seem to remember. I hope it ended better then this, though.”

After this we decided to remain silent. In fifteen minutes the vermin had closed the gap and slowly began to devour Jeff. It took him almost two hours to eat his legs. Jeff screamed in pain and agony. Apparently the paralysis did not provide the luxury of blocking out pain.

I pleaded with Jeff to remain quiet, but his blood curdling screams never ceased until he died an hour later. The creature turned its attention to me now. I believe I’ll have at least ninety minutes before it reaches me. And all I can think of are Jeff’s screams of agony. I’m terrified. I can’t take my eyes off the creature that means to eat me alive.

“Kafka’s Metamorphosis! That’s what this reminds me of.” At least I figured that out.

• Copyright: © 2008 Thomas Turren